SEATTLE – On Wednesday morning, a Japan Airlines aircraft that was taxiing at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport reportedly made contact with the tail of a stationary Delta Air Lines plane, according to airport officials.

The event occurred around 10:17 a.m., as shared on social media by the airport. All passengers aboard Japan Airlines flight 68 and Delta flight 1921 were evacuated without any injuries reported. Emergency crews immediately began efforts to clear the aircraft from the taxiway.

Samantha Moore Facteau, a spokesperson for Delta, explained via email that their Boeing 737 was waiting for ice to be removed from its exterior when the wing of the taxiing Japan Airlines plane inadvertently struck its tail. Deicing procedures, crucial for safe flight operations, typically take place prior to a plane moving toward the runway, she mentioned.

There were 142 individuals on the Delta flight bound for Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and they have since been moved to a different aircraft, with no injuries reported among passengers or crew members.

Japan Airlines has not yet provided a response to inquiries regarding the incident.

Passenger Jason Chan, who was traveling on the Delta flight, described the moment of impact, saying the plane “jiggled back and forth” before the captain announced that the tail had been hit. He noted that passengers remained calm and eventually disembarked to be taken back to the terminal by bus.

Chan remarked on how the scene felt “surreal,” yet his group of six was trying to remain positive while they awaited their new flight in the lounge.

Officials indicated that airport operations continued with minimal disruption, as the incident took place on a taxi lane away from the main flight areas.